[malloci]

I’ve known two people who have had kidney stones and I don’t think either of them would have been able to withstand the pain from the stone enough to go on a rollercoaster. Then again, maybe the promise of ending the pain will give enough motivation to grit it out.

[bmurphy1976]

I had one that took a year to pass (and it was a big one). Only knocked me out for a couple hours every 2 to 3 months. Finally scheduled a procedure and I passed it one week before on Thanksgiving morning while cooking our dinner.

Had another smaller one that had me on hardcore painkillers for two straight weeks. It was so bad I wasn't eating or taking care of myself. I just popped pills and slept. Thankfully I was able to pull myself together and go back to the doctor to get on a different medication that at least allowed me to function minimally until I could pass it.

Point is you never really know what's going on in there and I certainly did go on some rides during the year of the larger yet somehow less bothersome stone.

[sleepybrett]

I don't find they, at least the three I've passed, as particularly painful. It's more like an intense discomfort. I find myself in a cycle of pacing, laying down and sitting (mostly on the toilet, you feel like you have to pee constantly). It's like discomfort limbo.

[lll-o-lll]

I think you’ve just been lucky. For me this was like being kicked in the balls. Except continually, for five days straight.

It’s organ pain, the worst of pains. My doctor said that research had shown it to be worse than birth pains (although my wife vehemently disagrees with this). Intense discomfort doesn’t begin to describe it.

[qup]

Based on everyone else I've ever spoken with who had kidney stones (about six people), your experience is unusual.

Several have described it as the worst experience of their life, including one who has it recur a couple of times per year.

[sleepybrett]

It's possible that I've been very lucky, but I also have a pretty high pain threshold when it comes to other things... I blew my Achilles and walked around on it for days thinking I sprained an ankle. I will admit to an almost altered state of consciousness while passing a stone though that might have been tied to not really being able to sleep for days.